As manufacturer of functional hardware for the kitchen, bath, and closet, Knape & Vogt (KV) knows the importance of cultivating healthy relationships with distributors. CEO Peter Martin believes the key to achieving this -- and so much more -- can be captured in a single word: collaboration.

If anyone understands the benefits of staying keyed in to market changes and trends, John Stafford of McFadden’s Hardwood and Hardware believes his company does. The Ontario-based wholesale distributor is commemorating 50 years in business this coming June, an impressive 45 of them on NBMDA

In today’s cyber-driven business world, Charles McMurray Co. -- wholesale distributor of cabinetry hardware -- is a holdover from another era. The third-generation family business admittedly is slow to incorporate new technologies.

Things are looking up for wholesale distribution, says Don Lorey, CEO of E. B. Bradley Co. The turnaround in the housing market is beginning to show dividends, allowing the firm to keep a steady pace in the past couple of years.